


Taken by the Dragon

by misura



Category: Uprooted - Naomi Novik
Genre: Alternate Universe - Still Have Powers, Background Femslash, Dragon Sarkan (Uprooted), M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:35:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27656252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: "Did you actually manage to kidnap a princess this time, or is it another peasant girl?"
Relationships: The Dragon | Sarkan/The Falcon | Solya
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8
Collections: Yuletide Madness 2020





	Taken by the Dragon

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nerakrose](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerakrose/gifts).



As far as dragons went, Solya supposed Sarkan wasn't so bad - definitely a more considerate host than some of the high and mighty lords and ladies Solya had guested with before being so unfortunate as to draw the eye of a dragon who wasn't used to taking 'no' for an answer.

To be fair, Solya's answer had been 'yes, please' the first few times, and after those, he'd sort of decided to accept his fate with poor grace and the occasional screaming fit to remind Sarkan that while Solya might be his prisoner, that didn't mean he was _easy_.

"Did you actually manage to kidnap a princess this time, or is it another peasant girl?"

Solya did not approve of kidnapping as a rule, but being neither of royal blood nor female, he'd as soon Sarkan get it right. Naturally, there was also the consideration that any princess was unlikely to pose a threat as a rival to Sarkan's affections, such as they were.

Solya's own affections were, needless to say, of a more practical nature. As a wizard, he'd won a modest reputation for being useful for light to medium spycraft and the entertaining of spoilt, snot-nosed children; as a wizard _with a dragon_ , he commanded actual respect. From anyone other than the dragon in question, that was.

"Neither," Sarkan said, yawning at Solya to show off his big teeth. (Solya was Not Impressed and made sure his expression showed it.) "Nieshka was missing her childhood friend."

Solya glanced over to where his companion and potential rival was hugging the latest addition to Sarkan's hoard. (She didn't know it yet, of course. _Sarkan_ might not know it yet, but Solya had taken the dragon's measure within the first weeks of his stay. 'Possessive' was a gross understatement.)

"Her childhood friend," he repeated. There was some definite kissing going on, not that Solya disapproved of that sort of thing.

Sarkan huffed. "She promised she'd try and stop trailing mud all over the lair."

"I'm very happy for you," Solya said.

Sarkan eyed him balefully. "I like things neat. And quiet."

 _And I like showing up at court and having people show me the respect I deserve,_ Solya thought. Sarkan disdained the royal palace, though technically, as a wizard, he was entitled to be heard there, and even take up residence, if he so chose.

Solya had made sure to drop some hints that he, Solya, was a staunch advocate of Sarkan choosing otherwise and staying in his lair, hoarding books and the occasional young noblewoman looking for a little adventure.

Actual princesses were in somewhat short supply: there was the crown prince's wife, but Solya had judged it wise to insinuate that she constantly talked about her two children. Solya supposed the girl might count, but she was six, and Sarkan abhorred toddlers.

Thus, several of Polnya's less ... progressive thinking lords had discovered to their surprise that their daughters had announced themselves as qualified for an all-expenses trip to Sarkan's lair.

To do Sarkan justice, he did return them once the ransom was paid - their weight in either gold or books or a combination of both.

(Solya had taken considerable pleasure in dealing with the ensuing attempt to convince women that being extremely skinny made them more attractive - and men of certain means and musculature that Sarkan's kidnap victims required 'saving'. As it turned out, the magical word was 'tax evasion' - as Sarkan did indeed pay taxes over his income, meaning any attempt to curtail that income could, with some slight stretching of the definition, be construed as 'tax evasion' at best and 'acting against the best interests of the crown (aka treason)' at worst.)

"Nieshka also claims her friend actually knows how to cook," Sarkan said.

Solya decided he disliked that 'Nieshka'. It spoke of ... attachment, which was nothing new, but Solya would very much prefer to be the only person Sarkan felt ... attached to. "What do you need a cook for? You don't even eat here most of the time."

"You do," Sarkan said. "Not that I care," he added quickly. "And anyway, she might not be staying."

Solya glanced over to Agnieszka and her friend again. "Well. I'm reasonably sure they'll be staying for the next few hours, at least. And they'll probably want to take a nap, after."

"As my guest, Nieshka is free to do as she likes," Sarkan declared loftily.

"They might get pretty noisy, too," Solya said, determined to make the most of this opportunity.

Sarkan started looking a bit dubious.

"Well, I'm going back to this very interesting book I'm reading," Solya said, turning around slowly to give Sarkan every opportunity to stop him - either to ask for Solya's help in getting the ladies to keep it down, or to suggest they spend the night elsewhere, such as in the local baron's guestroom.

Instead, Sarkan said, "Fine," which left Solya in a bit of an awkward position since he didn't actually _have_ a book to return to. He wondered if Sarkan knew, or if Sarkan was merely being difficult for no good reason other than to annoy Solya.

Somewhere behind him, he heard Agnieszka giggle. Rationally, Solya knew there was no way she'd overheard his and Sarkan's conversation, let alone knew of his situation; emotionally, he felt back at his first children's party again, after being asked to reproduce a thoroughly vanished golden locket.

With a sigh, he decided there was nothing for it but to keep walking and hope for the best.

He tried to comfort himself with the thought that he might at least get a decent breakfast tomorrow morning, assuming Agnieszka's friend managed to drag herself out of bed in time.


End file.
